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The Crowned Queen: A Dark Fae Romantasy Novel
The stunning conclusion to The Eldergreen Trilogy—perfect for fans of
A Court of Thorns and Roses
,
The Prison Healer
, and
From Blood and Ash
.
This was always her story.
Araya Starwind has survived Jaxon Shaw before—but this time, he's learned from his mistakes. And he's never going to let her go.
Desperate to protect the fae king she gave her heart to, she faces the full brutality of what the Arcanum is willing to do to break her, sustained only by the knowledge that he will come for her. But, as weeks bleed into months, hope—like love—starts to feel like a luxury she can't afford.
But the forest is watching. And it knows that sometimes queens have to save themselves.
This was always her story.
Araya Starwind has survived Jaxon Shaw before—but this time, he's learned from his mistakes. And he's never going to let her go.
Desperate to protect the fae king she gave her heart to, she faces the full brutality of what the Arcanum is willing to do to break her, sustained only by the knowledge that he will come for her. But, as weeks bleed into months, hope—like love—starts to feel like a luxury she can't afford.
But the forest is watching. And it knows that sometimes queens have to save themselves.
- GenresRomantasy
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 10, 2026
A little disappointed in this book - more than half of it was extremely dark, with themes like fae abuse, rape, torture. I did not expect it to be so heavy on this. However, thanks for giving them the HAE they both deserved, for me it saved the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
Received as a digital arc ahead of release, super grateful, especially since I've wanted to know what happens for what feels like an eternity (it's actually only been a few months, I'm just dramatic...)
Spoilers ahead! ------------
To start, I finished this in less than a day. Ate it up, left no crumbs.
Is this everything I wanted in the finale? Yes, mostly!
I loved the direction that Araya went in, coming into her power and realising that she's strong enough to take care of things on her own, but doesn't always have to because she has her friends and Loren. I loved that she was training to not only become stronger in her own right, but that she wanted to be able to handle her business without being a damsel. Love that for her.
I think Araya's past definitely influences her actions a lot more in this one, and it's great to see that worked into the plot of her story arc. It's all about accepting what was, and moving forward with what could be. Does she sometimes do dumb things? Absolutely. Are her decisions often impacted by what could be described as PTSD? Also, absolutely. But, it's great to see this kind of character growth.
Loren. Broody, baby Loren. I love and dislike him, which I don't think is a bad place to be. He's over-protective SOMEHOW even more in this one, which can be a little tiresome at points. There was a moment mid-read where I literally thought "he's gonna say something stupid again... yep there it is". I love the overprotective fae male trope, don't get me wrong, but Loren comes off a little heavy handed in this arena. Not like terribly by any means, just noticeably.
Also, Loren proving to Araya that he doesn't care about her scars and just didn't want to hurt her while engaging in -activities- was so sweet. She was self-conscious of it, even though there was literally nothing she could do about it. Felt like good representation of the standards that women are often held to when it comes to their body/beauty.
And Jaxon? What a (insert expletive here). Glad he got what was coming to him. His awful dad too!
LOVED that it brought in a found-family element, and training sequences. Reading about Araya training and getting stronger reminded me of Nesta and crew in Silver Flames, which is all the good feels!
My only maybe main gripe is the last maybe 20% of the book. The end feels somewhat rushed? I would've loved a bit more in the end battle, maybe some fight sequences? Personal preference from me! The actual end sequence was really well written, descriptive enough to not lose track of what each of the characters were doing. The epilogue also felt like I got a bit of whiplash, there's names being mentioned that only clicked maybe a few minutes later that it's their kids. Maybe that was me, but I had to re-read the start of the epilogue to grasp what was happening.
Overall, I love this series. It's a fun fantasy romance, with a unique magic system and characters with strong growth arcs. I'm sad to see it finished, but very much looking forward to seeing what Becca Calder is coming out with next!
Spoilers ahead! ------------
To start, I finished this in less than a day. Ate it up, left no crumbs.
Is this everything I wanted in the finale? Yes, mostly!
I loved the direction that Araya went in, coming into her power and realising that she's strong enough to take care of things on her own, but doesn't always have to because she has her friends and Loren. I loved that she was training to not only become stronger in her own right, but that she wanted to be able to handle her business without being a damsel. Love that for her.
I think Araya's past definitely influences her actions a lot more in this one, and it's great to see that worked into the plot of her story arc. It's all about accepting what was, and moving forward with what could be. Does she sometimes do dumb things? Absolutely. Are her decisions often impacted by what could be described as PTSD? Also, absolutely. But, it's great to see this kind of character growth.
Loren. Broody, baby Loren. I love and dislike him, which I don't think is a bad place to be. He's over-protective SOMEHOW even more in this one, which can be a little tiresome at points. There was a moment mid-read where I literally thought "he's gonna say something stupid again... yep there it is". I love the overprotective fae male trope, don't get me wrong, but Loren comes off a little heavy handed in this arena. Not like terribly by any means, just noticeably.
Also, Loren proving to Araya that he doesn't care about her scars and just didn't want to hurt her while engaging in -activities- was so sweet. She was self-conscious of it, even though there was literally nothing she could do about it. Felt like good representation of the standards that women are often held to when it comes to their body/beauty.
And Jaxon? What a (insert expletive here). Glad he got what was coming to him. His awful dad too!
LOVED that it brought in a found-family element, and training sequences. Reading about Araya training and getting stronger reminded me of Nesta and crew in Silver Flames, which is all the good feels!
My only maybe main gripe is the last maybe 20% of the book. The end feels somewhat rushed? I would've loved a bit more in the end battle, maybe some fight sequences? Personal preference from me! The actual end sequence was really well written, descriptive enough to not lose track of what each of the characters were doing. The epilogue also felt like I got a bit of whiplash, there's names being mentioned that only clicked maybe a few minutes later that it's their kids. Maybe that was me, but I had to re-read the start of the epilogue to grasp what was happening.
Overall, I love this series. It's a fun fantasy romance, with a unique magic system and characters with strong growth arcs. I'm sad to see it finished, but very much looking forward to seeing what Becca Calder is coming out with next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Favourite quotes:
“Bring our queen home, Your Majesty. Whatever happens here, you’re going to need her. And so are we.”
“Nothing to see here, friends. Just a mated male letting his ego get ahead of his brain.”
“Fight to win.”
“But I have never – not for a single breath – looked at you and seen anything but strength and beauty.”
More than a year ago, the first book of this series (which was the author's debut!) caught my attention even without me reading the blurb. I've been lucky to fall into this world. And here I am now... the finished trilogy in front of me.
What started with strange dreams for Araya in the beginning, now ends with such a well-deserved HEA for her and Loren. Through all three books, danger just kept coming and for a moment, I thought peace would never come and there would be nothing left to pay the cost... And everything led to this moment - testing limits, taking heart-breaking blows, separation, forbidden magic, captiv!ty, rebellion and so many challenges to finally set this world free from cruelty.
In reality, I think Araya would need long, happy years to start forgetting everything they've been through. Leaving the scars on the outside just to remind her of the darkest times and those on the inside... well... it's finally time for her to heal, to live free and enjoy everything the world can give her.
At times, I thought Araya and Loren had some communication problems. And that made me think about how often we stay silent, hiding our thoughts and feelings, even though... it's human to share and it's much easier to fight together. In silence, in between the untold words, misunderstandings and unnecessary wondering grow... Let the other person feel them too - to know what's inside your heart, mind and soul. And because we never know when the worst-case scenario might come, through all the darkness and sadness, even simply sharing what we carry inside can brighten the other person's world...
*This won't work as a standalone, so there is still a little time to read Books 1, 2 before the final book comes out.
Thank you, @BeccaCalder for this ARC, this wonderful love story and for such a much-needed happy ending!
🌶️ 2/5
Keywords/Tropes: Dark Romantasy, Fated Mates, Lost Royalty, Shadow Magic, Fae/Humans, Possessive Villain, Brooding Fae Prince, Reluctant Heroine, Touch and D!e, HEA, Complete Trilogy, 3rd Person POV, TW
“Bring our queen home, Your Majesty. Whatever happens here, you’re going to need her. And so are we.”
“Nothing to see here, friends. Just a mated male letting his ego get ahead of his brain.”
“Fight to win.”
“But I have never – not for a single breath – looked at you and seen anything but strength and beauty.”
More than a year ago, the first book of this series (which was the author's debut!) caught my attention even without me reading the blurb. I've been lucky to fall into this world. And here I am now... the finished trilogy in front of me.
What started with strange dreams for Araya in the beginning, now ends with such a well-deserved HEA for her and Loren. Through all three books, danger just kept coming and for a moment, I thought peace would never come and there would be nothing left to pay the cost... And everything led to this moment - testing limits, taking heart-breaking blows, separation, forbidden magic, captiv!ty, rebellion and so many challenges to finally set this world free from cruelty.
In reality, I think Araya would need long, happy years to start forgetting everything they've been through. Leaving the scars on the outside just to remind her of the darkest times and those on the inside... well... it's finally time for her to heal, to live free and enjoy everything the world can give her.
At times, I thought Araya and Loren had some communication problems. And that made me think about how often we stay silent, hiding our thoughts and feelings, even though... it's human to share and it's much easier to fight together. In silence, in between the untold words, misunderstandings and unnecessary wondering grow... Let the other person feel them too - to know what's inside your heart, mind and soul. And because we never know when the worst-case scenario might come, through all the darkness and sadness, even simply sharing what we carry inside can brighten the other person's world...
*This won't work as a standalone, so there is still a little time to read Books 1, 2 before the final book comes out.
Thank you, @BeccaCalder for this ARC, this wonderful love story and for such a much-needed happy ending!
🌶️ 2/5
Keywords/Tropes: Dark Romantasy, Fated Mates, Lost Royalty, Shadow Magic, Fae/Humans, Possessive Villain, Brooding Fae Prince, Reluctant Heroine, Touch and D!e, HEA, Complete Trilogy, 3rd Person POV, TW
September 1, 2026
Epic conclusion
The final chapter of a struggle between fae and humankind - between the right to live in peace and the right to oppress others. This is The Crowned Queen.
Following on from book two, Araya is back in the clutches of her old abuser. But things are infinitely worse this time - she is the bound mate of the newly crowned fae king, Loren. Determined to protect him, she will endure far worse than she has ever had to before.
Loren is coming for his queen, but his people need him. Years of oppression by the humans have left them ripe for rebellion and Loren refuses to leave them captive any longer. Still, he is drawn by both his bond and his shadows to find Araya and free her.
But Araya is not powerless. The power of the ancient forest has woken and it speaks to her. Sometimes, a queen must save herself.
I loved this. It’s an epic romantasy with lots of great world building spread across the three books. In the way of trilogies, this book starts with some of the darkest, most hopeless moments before the heroes triumph. It feels pretty scary for them at times not knowing how many new scars (physical and emotional) everyone would end with.
Loren and Araya spend a lot of time apart, with their bond blocked. Their romance suffers for it, but it forces them to work through some issues. The spice - when it arrives - is open door and nice and spicy.
There’s some tough issues in this book, including control and oppression of a people group, captivity/slavery, compulsion, attempted sexual assault, corporal punishment, trauma and PTSD, returning to an abusive relationship, and forced medical/magical procedures.
This is the third and final book of the series and it can’t be read as a standalone. If you’re after a completed romantasy series in the darker side, I highly recommend adding The Eldergreen Trilogy to your list.
The final chapter of a struggle between fae and humankind - between the right to live in peace and the right to oppress others. This is The Crowned Queen.
Following on from book two, Araya is back in the clutches of her old abuser. But things are infinitely worse this time - she is the bound mate of the newly crowned fae king, Loren. Determined to protect him, she will endure far worse than she has ever had to before.
Loren is coming for his queen, but his people need him. Years of oppression by the humans have left them ripe for rebellion and Loren refuses to leave them captive any longer. Still, he is drawn by both his bond and his shadows to find Araya and free her.
But Araya is not powerless. The power of the ancient forest has woken and it speaks to her. Sometimes, a queen must save herself.
I loved this. It’s an epic romantasy with lots of great world building spread across the three books. In the way of trilogies, this book starts with some of the darkest, most hopeless moments before the heroes triumph. It feels pretty scary for them at times not knowing how many new scars (physical and emotional) everyone would end with.
Loren and Araya spend a lot of time apart, with their bond blocked. Their romance suffers for it, but it forces them to work through some issues. The spice - when it arrives - is open door and nice and spicy.
There’s some tough issues in this book, including control and oppression of a people group, captivity/slavery, compulsion, attempted sexual assault, corporal punishment, trauma and PTSD, returning to an abusive relationship, and forced medical/magical procedures.
This is the third and final book of the series and it can’t be read as a standalone. If you’re after a completed romantasy series in the darker side, I highly recommend adding The Eldergreen Trilogy to your list.
September 4, 2026
I LOVE THIS TRILOGY
Calder has written a beautiful conclusion, filled with so much anticipation and build up.
I still am not sold on Loren because he is a little TOO broody for my liking. It felt like he hadn't changed much from book two however it is refreshing to see a character who does need to change, actually take a reasonable pace to do so even if it caused some frustrating moments in the book. We get to revisit his need to protect and put the pressure entirely on himself, but we also see him show understanding as to why doing that is a d**k move.
Araya is strong. That girl has been through it, and it has been wonderful to watch her journey from doing everything she could to simply survive to gaining autonomy and knowing what freedom tastes like.
I will say i felt like the ending was a little rushed. It took the majority of the book to get to a certain point, and I remember looking at how much I have left to read and thinking woah there is still so much to cover in so little time. So the book could have benefited in being a little bigger just to give some moments the times I feel they deserved.
All in all a great book series and I shall be eagerly waiting to see what Calder does next.
Calder has written a beautiful conclusion, filled with so much anticipation and build up.
I still am not sold on Loren because he is a little TOO broody for my liking. It felt like he hadn't changed much from book two however it is refreshing to see a character who does need to change, actually take a reasonable pace to do so even if it caused some frustrating moments in the book. We get to revisit his need to protect and put the pressure entirely on himself, but we also see him show understanding as to why doing that is a d**k move.
Araya is strong. That girl has been through it, and it has been wonderful to watch her journey from doing everything she could to simply survive to gaining autonomy and knowing what freedom tastes like.
I will say i felt like the ending was a little rushed. It took the majority of the book to get to a certain point, and I remember looking at how much I have left to read and thinking woah there is still so much to cover in so little time. So the book could have benefited in being a little bigger just to give some moments the times I feel they deserved.
All in all a great book series and I shall be eagerly waiting to see what Calder does next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Whewwwwwwww. Before I get into it, I'm just going to say that this is the best book of the trilogy. I said that about The Bound Mage, but they're both SO good!
For starters: the trilogy in itself is fairly dark, and Becca Calder definitely pushed more into the darkness in The Crowned Queen. So just know going into it....all of those awful things Jaxon seems capable of doing in books 1 and 2? He is.
The emotional turnoul that Loren experiences throughout is heartbreaking. That being said....this is Araya's story. And she is inspiring.
This is not the Araya from The Chained Prince. We see sustained character growth, personal reflection, and just overall determination that she had finally come into in The Bound Mage.
This story is gut-wrenching to read at times, I even tried to cover my eyes a few times before I remembered I was reading. But every hard moment is important, trust the process.
Thank you SO much to Becca Calder for asking me to beta-read this book. The magic came off the pages and provided an intensely satisfying ending that I can't wait for everyone else to experience as well.
Overall: highly recommend
Spice: open door
For starters: the trilogy in itself is fairly dark, and Becca Calder definitely pushed more into the darkness in The Crowned Queen. So just know going into it....all of those awful things Jaxon seems capable of doing in books 1 and 2? He is.
The emotional turnoul that Loren experiences throughout is heartbreaking. That being said....this is Araya's story. And she is inspiring.
This is not the Araya from The Chained Prince. We see sustained character growth, personal reflection, and just overall determination that she had finally come into in The Bound Mage.
This story is gut-wrenching to read at times, I even tried to cover my eyes a few times before I remembered I was reading. But every hard moment is important, trust the process.
Thank you SO much to Becca Calder for asking me to beta-read this book. The magic came off the pages and provided an intensely satisfying ending that I can't wait for everyone else to experience as well.
Overall: highly recommend
Spice: open door
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this series and this book. There were parts that were difficult to read but because they were authentic. This is a top ten series for me this year.
In reviews I read for the other books in the series I noted several people found the fmc to be dumb, make bad choices, and to not understand others intentions in a way that repeatedly harms her, I do not think that is true or fair. The fmc has severe ptsd from repeated childhood trauma and the murder of her mother, is the victim of dv, has been intentionally not given the history, training or language of her people, can not lie and doesn’t always remember that humans can, and is trying to survive with as little risk as possible. This is so well done in this story, it reads as true, and her poor decisions are clearly based on this and not out of character. She is now also a queen responsible for her people’s future. How many times in the three books does she, Jaxon or Loren talk about keeping her safe- and that it means different things to all three of them but for most of the story it is her motivation.
I can’t imagine having read the first two books and not needing to read this conclusion. It finishes beautifully.
In reviews I read for the other books in the series I noted several people found the fmc to be dumb, make bad choices, and to not understand others intentions in a way that repeatedly harms her, I do not think that is true or fair. The fmc has severe ptsd from repeated childhood trauma and the murder of her mother, is the victim of dv, has been intentionally not given the history, training or language of her people, can not lie and doesn’t always remember that humans can, and is trying to survive with as little risk as possible. This is so well done in this story, it reads as true, and her poor decisions are clearly based on this and not out of character. She is now also a queen responsible for her people’s future. How many times in the three books does she, Jaxon or Loren talk about keeping her safe- and that it means different things to all three of them but for most of the story it is her motivation.
I can’t imagine having read the first two books and not needing to read this conclusion. It finishes beautifully.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to the author for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
This was a fast paced conclusion to a great triology.
Araya continues to be a strong FMC and was the highlight for me in this books. She endures torture and abuse but continues to fight and persevere. The way the auhtor wrote her scenes, uou could really feel her emotions and alot of the time it was heartbreaking. I also loved how she stood up to Loren and stood her ground on her feelings and well being.
Loren- his character was a little tough for me in this one. I feel like he was borderline unhinged in the first two books and in this one he wasn’t. I wanted him to burn the world to get her back… and he didn’t. The overprotectiveness didn’t bother me- it was actually realistic. However, I just wish he had more urgency when she was taken.
Out of context things I loved
- the little shadow 🥰
- the hot water scene 😏
- the girl friend group
This was a fast paced conclusion to a great triology.
Araya continues to be a strong FMC and was the highlight for me in this books. She endures torture and abuse but continues to fight and persevere. The way the auhtor wrote her scenes, uou could really feel her emotions and alot of the time it was heartbreaking. I also loved how she stood up to Loren and stood her ground on her feelings and well being.
Loren- his character was a little tough for me in this one. I feel like he was borderline unhinged in the first two books and in this one he wasn’t. I wanted him to burn the world to get her back… and he didn’t. The overprotectiveness didn’t bother me- it was actually realistic. However, I just wish he had more urgency when she was taken.
Out of context things I loved
- the little shadow 🥰
- the hot water scene 😏
- the girl friend group
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
This book was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. Honestly, I couldn't have imagined a better ending.
Araya went through so much over the course of this series, but she never gave up. She stayed strong and fought through every obstacle in her path, proving herself to be a true queen. I am so incredibly proud of her character development. Loren, the prince we first met in book one, evolved into a true leader. While he can be overprotective—which occasionally leads him to make mistakes—he always owns up to his flaws and tries to fix them.
My absolute favorite part of the series was watching Araya, Loren, and the other characters build a big, caring, "found-family" dynamic. It gave the story so much heart. To top it all off, the epilogue was easily my favorite chapter—it provided the ultimate closure for the series. Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. Honestly, I couldn't have imagined a better ending.
Araya went through so much over the course of this series, but she never gave up. She stayed strong and fought through every obstacle in her path, proving herself to be a true queen. I am so incredibly proud of her character development. Loren, the prince we first met in book one, evolved into a true leader. While he can be overprotective—which occasionally leads him to make mistakes—he always owns up to his flaws and tries to fix them.
My absolute favorite part of the series was watching Araya, Loren, and the other characters build a big, caring, "found-family" dynamic. It gave the story so much heart. To top it all off, the epilogue was easily my favorite chapter—it provided the ultimate closure for the series. Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Becca to the front, Becca to the front! Ma’am what was that, what was that ending? I need more, I know that was the ending of the trilogy but like I truly need more books in this world. I need to see Loren and Araya thriving in the background of some of the side characters books.
I was so happy to be back in the world of Araya, she is a stubborn and sassy FMC! Loren is so overprotective and I love it, he really just wants to wrap her in a bubble and fight all her battles for her not because she can’t but because she shouldn’t have too!
Thank you so much to Becca Calder for having me on the arc team for all 3 books in the series, it truly has been magical and I love supporting you on your journey! I can’t wait to see what comes next, again thank you for allowing me to arc read this book!
I was so happy to be back in the world of Araya, she is a stubborn and sassy FMC! Loren is so overprotective and I love it, he really just wants to wrap her in a bubble and fight all her battles for her not because she can’t but because she shouldn’t have too!
Thank you so much to Becca Calder for having me on the arc team for all 3 books in the series, it truly has been magical and I love supporting you on your journey! I can’t wait to see what comes next, again thank you for allowing me to arc read this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review
The Crowned Queen concludes an epic DARK romantasy trilogy. I was fortunate enough to receive this ARC after meeting Becca at a book festival. I binged the first two books in 3 days. I couldn’t put this book down.
WOW! It’s been an incredible journey. Wonderful world building, meeting the resistance fighters, more ancient Fae magic and a final showdown to take on Jaxon and the Arcanum. I am so thoroughly satisfied with how Araya and Loren’s story ends. And there’s a great epilogue.
I have not read much dark romantasy books before so this series has definitely opened the door for me. A beautiful story, even through the darker moments. I’ll be looking forward to reading more books by Becca.
The Crowned Queen concludes an epic DARK romantasy trilogy. I was fortunate enough to receive this ARC after meeting Becca at a book festival. I binged the first two books in 3 days. I couldn’t put this book down.
WOW! It’s been an incredible journey. Wonderful world building, meeting the resistance fighters, more ancient Fae magic and a final showdown to take on Jaxon and the Arcanum. I am so thoroughly satisfied with how Araya and Loren’s story ends. And there’s a great epilogue.
I have not read much dark romantasy books before so this series has definitely opened the door for me. A beautiful story, even through the darker moments. I’ll be looking forward to reading more books by Becca.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a satisfying end to such a captivating trilogy. The series hooked me from the start and kept me all the way through - to the point where I felt all our main characters got exactly what they deserved. Araya’s journey of growth was empowering yet realistic, especially as Jaxon’s maleficence saw almost no limit. Overall some fantastic story-telling from Becca and will definitely join my list of comfort rereads! Thank you for the digital ARC!
August 13, 2026
Great conclusion to the trilogy after the book 2 cliffhanger. Love a good villain and the character arcs were well rounded. Pacing was good and this last book went by quick! Can’t wait to read more by Becca Calder!
August 13, 2026
This book was everything it needed to be and more. It kept me on the edge of my seat and not wanting to put it down until the very end. It was the perfect conclusion to a captivating series. Well done Becca!
September 2, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ i really thought this was going to need another book to wrap up the plot because we were like 86% thru and still reeling. But it did wrap up (a little fast in my opinion). Araya and Loren are a little insufferable in this ngl but the ending is sweet.
July 25, 2026
This book was the perfect culmination of the series. I love the added surprise in this story and the ending had me ready for a series reread.
September 1, 2026
The epic conclusion to a beautiful love story through the darkness. The character arcs are well paced and I loved the conclusion of everything.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC from the author.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be part of her ARC team for this third book and finale of her Eldergreen series.
This book picks up right where The Bound Mage left off. Loren is on a mission to get his mate back and Araya is just trying to survive.
Jaxon is still absolutely terrible and completely delusional. There are other characters that come to the front to help the rebellion and I loved that whole storyline.
This book was a good conclusion to the story. It tied up everything in a believable way and I do love me a good epilogue where we can see what happens later in these characters lives.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be part of her ARC team for this third book and finale of her Eldergreen series.
This book picks up right where The Bound Mage left off. Loren is on a mission to get his mate back and Araya is just trying to survive.
Jaxon is still absolutely terrible and completely delusional. There are other characters that come to the front to help the rebellion and I loved that whole storyline.
This book was a good conclusion to the story. It tied up everything in a believable way and I do love me a good epilogue where we can see what happens later in these characters lives.
August 25, 2026
What an emotional rollercoaster! I already knew because the author promised it would be, but the valleys were low and long and the hills were small and hopeless. I mean my hearttttt. She promised to break it and the put it back together and SHE DID.
The story picks up with our MCs separated, with Araya having been kidnapped (again) and returned to her bond, Jaxon F’ing Shaw, and back into the life she’d finally realized was pure abuse. She’s a fighter, though, and endures SO MUCH at the hands of the Arcanum and the Shaws. The hopelessness of the situation is all-encompassing. Every time they’d gain an inch, something would push them back a mile. Until finally, Araya strength wins (no spoilers!) and Loren gets his mate back. The reunion is tentative and shaky at first, until Araya has enough of Loren’s bullshit and takes care of that. Then it’s a mad rush to a happy ever after. Lots of things happen really fast, and we finally get the conclusion Becca promised us (again, no spoilers!).
I have LOVED this series, from the very beginning to the final epilogue. It is well written and deep, with characters you either love, or love to hate, and a story that is compelling and believable. I will never shut up about this series!
The story picks up with our MCs separated, with Araya having been kidnapped (again) and returned to her bond, Jaxon F’ing Shaw, and back into the life she’d finally realized was pure abuse. She’s a fighter, though, and endures SO MUCH at the hands of the Arcanum and the Shaws. The hopelessness of the situation is all-encompassing. Every time they’d gain an inch, something would push them back a mile. Until finally, Araya strength wins (no spoilers!) and Loren gets his mate back. The reunion is tentative and shaky at first, until Araya has enough of Loren’s bullshit and takes care of that. Then it’s a mad rush to a happy ever after. Lots of things happen really fast, and we finally get the conclusion Becca promised us (again, no spoilers!).
I have LOVED this series, from the very beginning to the final epilogue. It is well written and deep, with characters you either love, or love to hate, and a story that is compelling and believable. I will never shut up about this series!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“it all starts with a queen who would do anything to protect the people she loves”
this was such a perfect ending for loren and araya because they definitely deserved it. everything they both have been through with their trauma and the amount of growth both of these characters have made from book 1 is incredible.
the crown queen picks up right where the bound mage ends. we follow loren on his journey to find and save araya after jaxson shaw kidnaps her from the fae lands and we follow araya trying to survive being back at the hands of the arcanum. what shocked me most was the person who was willing to go behind the arcanum’s back to help araya, loren and the fae rebellion. (literally jaw hit the floor on that plot twist)
the suspense of the events that transpire in this book will captivate you, keep you on edge, give you high anxiety and staying up all night wanting to find out what happens next!
i cannot say enough how incredible not only this book is but the whole eldergreen trilogy and how grateful i am for becca for allowing me to be a ARC reader for her!
the crowned queen releases september 1st and it’s definitely a book you want to read!
this was such a perfect ending for loren and araya because they definitely deserved it. everything they both have been through with their trauma and the amount of growth both of these characters have made from book 1 is incredible.
the crown queen picks up right where the bound mage ends. we follow loren on his journey to find and save araya after jaxson shaw kidnaps her from the fae lands and we follow araya trying to survive being back at the hands of the arcanum. what shocked me most was the person who was willing to go behind the arcanum’s back to help araya, loren and the fae rebellion. (literally jaw hit the floor on that plot twist)
the suspense of the events that transpire in this book will captivate you, keep you on edge, give you high anxiety and staying up all night wanting to find out what happens next!
i cannot say enough how incredible not only this book is but the whole eldergreen trilogy and how grateful i am for becca for allowing me to be a ARC reader for her!
the crowned queen releases september 1st and it’s definitely a book you want to read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am so incredibly grateful to Becca Calder for the honour of ARC reading The Crowned Queen and the rest of the Elder green Trilogy.
The world Becca has built through these books is dark and gritty but still filled with magic - a perfect blend of dystopia and fantasy. I loved the magic system from book 1 and the evolution of the runes and how they're used, while terrifying, is so incredible.
Araya comes so far through these books and I cried with joy at her coming into own. She endures every heartache and horror with resilience and strength. I could not have been more happy with how she refused to shrink herself for anyone. A true Queen in every sense of the word.
Loren. Dear, sweet, foolishly overprotective male. Loren is every bit the brooding, rage filled, fae we meet in The Chained Prince, but he's grown into so much more than that. He absolutely doesn't get everything right and I love him more because of that. When he gets it wrong, he pulls himself back and owns his mistakes - like a real leader should.
The supporting cast grows into a gorgeous found family over the trilogy. Caela and Ruelle are my stand outs in Crowned Queen, but I loved them all.
I'm sad this series is finished but the ending was perfect and the epilogue healed the heartbreak. A wonderful end to a phenomenal series.
The world Becca has built through these books is dark and gritty but still filled with magic - a perfect blend of dystopia and fantasy. I loved the magic system from book 1 and the evolution of the runes and how they're used, while terrifying, is so incredible.
Araya comes so far through these books and I cried with joy at her coming into own. She endures every heartache and horror with resilience and strength. I could not have been more happy with how she refused to shrink herself for anyone. A true Queen in every sense of the word.
Loren. Dear, sweet, foolishly overprotective male. Loren is every bit the brooding, rage filled, fae we meet in The Chained Prince, but he's grown into so much more than that. He absolutely doesn't get everything right and I love him more because of that. When he gets it wrong, he pulls himself back and owns his mistakes - like a real leader should.
The supporting cast grows into a gorgeous found family over the trilogy. Caela and Ruelle are my stand outs in Crowned Queen, but I loved them all.
I'm sad this series is finished but the ending was perfect and the epilogue healed the heartbreak. A wonderful end to a phenomenal series.
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